Did the fat man

As was widely reported yesterday, House Speaker Denny Hastert (R) of Illinois is quoted in the National Journal saying he doesn't believe the Republican Congress will be able to pass a Social Security phase-out bill in 2005.

He says it will have to wait until 2006.

Now, the idea that the Republicans are going to have the fortitude, shall we say, to pass a phase-out bill within six months of an election when they were too scared to do it eighteen months before an election is preposterous.

So what Hastert is saying is that Social Security phase-out is over in the 109th Congress.

Mind you, that doesn't mean I think it's over. But that is what he's saying, for all who have ears to hear it.

(ed.note: Another point worth noting is that the White House either didn't or couldn't get Hastert to eat his words like they did with Bill Frist. Hastert followed up by saying he'd like to pass a bill this year. But that means nothing. He'd like to, but he doesn't think it's possible.)